On the second play from scrimmage, the two hooked up on a wheel route that went for 48 yards, including 32 after the catch. On the play, Reshad Jones was beaten so badly that he wasn’t even on the screen.

Sproles was rewarded with a 5-yard touchdown run, capping a lightning-quick scoring drive that covered 82 yards on six plays and 3:08.

The Dolphins responded with a nice drive of their own, covering 72 yards before Daniel Thomas was dropped behind the line on third-and-short. Caleb Sturgis, predictably, boomed through a 34-yard field goal, and the Dolphins were on the scoreboard.

Then, things went sideways. First, Tannehill coughed up the ball in Saints territory — his third lost fumble in four weeks.

And then, Jamar Taylor — in his first NFL game — was forced into action when Nolan Carroll went to the sidelines with an ankle injury. The Saints exploited it immediately, with Brees connecting with Graham on a leaping, 27-yard touchdown catch.

The Saints were only in that position because they converted a third-and-20 — on a screen pass to Sproles.

Yet the Dolphins still had life. Marcus Thigpen took a check-down pass 50 yards, leading to a 5-yard touchdown run by Lamar Miller.

And when the Dolphins made a stop, it looked like they might turn things around. Instead, Tannehill turned the ball over again.